SpideyMom

Ok, so the scoop from my surgeon is: everyone who undergoes surgery will feel less energetic for several weeks after the surgery. He said it typically takes up to 6 weeks to regain your normal energy level, but it all depends a lot on your health, so if you have a lot of comorbidities, like I do, it may take longer. However, he said that it was key to make sure you were getting at least 60 g. of Protein a day and that increasing your exercise will help increase your energy. I hope that helps! :sad:

Just like a high-schooler, I have written a reminder on my hand so I don't forget to ask tonight! Ya know, I'm so exhausted, my brain just doesn't seem to function right lately, either. Feels like I felt when I was preggo -- tired and preggo brain! And, NO, I'm not pregnant.:thumbup: I'll be sure to fill you in with the doc's answer tomorrow.

My date: May 7, 2009 Weight loss since: 24 lbs :thumbup:

OMG, I am feeling the same exact way, and it's been almost a month and a half for me. Today has been really awful. I've been yawning in meetings, my eyes drooping. I gave up sugar and caffeine, also, so I have nothing to turn to for a quick pick-me-up during the day. Sometimes I go out for a quick walk, but lately it's been raining every day. I'm going to my LB support group tonight, and I will ask my surgeon about this. **yawn**:thumbup:

That's awesome, John! I really want a meatball now. lol I'm still struggling with the Clean Plate Club issue and listening to my body to determine if I'm full or not. Keep up the good work!:wink:

Coworkers who have no idea I've been dieting (let alone been banded) have been complimenting me on losing weight and looking good! :wink: That makes me feel awesome. Also, men are starting to look at me, say hi, give me the eye, etc. One even tipped his hat and gave me the eye. lol Funny thing is, I've been this weight before and didn't get that. I really think it's because this time I'm smiling so much more. I just feel great about myself and how I'm changing my life. So, I guess confidence really does make a difference. Must show in my face. :sneaky:

Let me tell ya, Linda. I have all of the above (or below as the case might be :sneaky:). It is embarrassing. And I no longer have a private office since we moved to the "fancy, new building" which is a cube farm. So you can imagine how embarrassed I feel when something slips out (usually a burp), but sometimes I have to hurry to the ladies' room because I feel a lot of gas on its way down, down, down.... And then it's embarrassing if there are a bunch of coworkers in the bathroom, too! :wink: I've been taking chewable gas tablets the last week or two, and that has been helping. The recommended two tablets don't work for me, though. I have to take three! LOL Hang in there. I've heard it gets better. There is a woman in my LB support group who complained about the same thing going on for the first three months. Then it disappeared. There is an end in sight. And there is an upside to this: At least I make my 4-year-old son laugh a lot more now.:crying:

Yes, that's what I understood -- and had experienced -- too! I believe it was two things: 1. I took too big of a bite and didn't chew well enough; and 2. I'm still adjusting to this new restriction. I *hope* I learned my lesson on chewing well and don't rush off and -- ha -- bite off more than I can chew some day! :wink:

Thanks so much! It sounds wonderful! :blushing:

I have a real addiction to sugar, so before I started this journey I made the monumental decision to give up every white carb: white bread, white Pasta, white flour, white sugar, white rice, white potatoes, etc. So needless to say, I haven't tried any white bread, but I've also been too afraid to try any other breads, mostly because of my fear of it triggering my desire to want other bread, which would trigger other carb cravings.... I know eventually I will try multigrain bread, but I'm not ready yet. My surgeon didn't tell me anything about ground beef. He said just avoid steak, white rice, and white bread. Had no trouble with the hamburger in the weeks prior to my fill. In fact, I enjoyed it a lot. *sigh*

Ok, the surgeon's asst. says not to take sips of water because that will just sit on top of the stuck food. :blushing:

Thanks for the great ideas, Linda! You know, I am going out to lunch on Friday with a good friend, and I looked at the menu online already and decided to do just that -- order something off the appetizer menu. My surgeon said he used to give out cards to his patients that entitled them to be able to order off of the children's menu, but then he stopped because he felt that all the food on children's menus are foods that aren't that healthy for us -- fried chicken fingers, french fries, hot dogs, mac & cheese, etc. I never thought of it that way before!

Linda, I forgot to tell you that I was not eating bread or a bun. I had a slice of melted cheese, and some ketchup to moisten it. That's how I've eaten it successfully in the past. I just emailed my surgeon's assistant about whether I can take a sip of Water for stuck food. She's usually good about getting back to me by the end of the day. I'll let you know what she says. :blushing:

I was at home. I would highly recommend you get some papaya enzyme tablets and keep them with you at all times. It helped. I realized now that the bottle said to take 4 tabs, but I only took 3. So perhaps I could have gotten better relief the first time around. I do confess that I was SO hungry that my first bite was too big and I didn't chew well enough, so yes, my bad! I wouldn't worry too much about PBing or sliming while out because it's not like vomiting. A whole bunch doesn't come out of your mouth like vomit. Just the bite (or the saliva) comes back up into your mouth, and you will have time to get to the restroom before this happens. You will know it is stuck before the PB or sliming happens. The two times I've had troubles (one PB, one sliming) I have wanted to stand up and walk around, so excusing yourself from the table is probably a good idea. Then chew up the papaya enzyme (they are tasty!) and give it a little while. Morale of the story is: Tiny bites and make like a train: chew, chew, chew! :blushing:

I think we're all experiencing new things, and that's why it's so great that we can share them here on our forum. The Mayo Banditos are an awesome group! :wink:

Ooh, that sounds awesome! Thanks for the tip! :wink:

I found this recipe for Dr. Pepper chicken on the Internet (after getting the idea from on the "What did you eat today?" thread) and it is really good. The chicken is very moist. Does anyone know what the nutritional values would be... or know where I could go to figure them out? TiA! Ann Ingredients 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 can of Diet Dr. Pepper 1/2 cup of ketchup salt, pepper to taste Directions Spray the bottom of a heavy pot with non-stick spray Season chicken and brown a few mins on each side Mix can of diet dr. pepper and ketchup Pour over chicken Bring to a boil, cover & simmer for 45 mins. (Note: We just simmered for two hours, until the chicken was fork-shreddable and all the sauce was soaked up.)

Less, I think you might need to up your caloric intake in order to start losing some weight. Your body is probably holding on b/c it thinks you are starving it. I was doing the same thing, and once I added some real foods and more calories, the weight started coming off! And don't worry about going to Vegas after a fill. You'll be fine. Just make sure you follow the rules -- small bites and chew, chew, chew! :wink: Hey, John, glad to hear that you got back in to see the doc! Isn't it freaky to feel Water get stuck in your throat? Yeah, same thing happened to me. They had to back me down 1 cc. I'm now at 6 cc. Sometimes I'm feel hungry, other times I can go for hours. Odd. Do you go back in another 2 weeks?

Jenny, that's a good idea! I have been known to feed my husband the leftovers, but some things he doesn't like. It's too bad I don't have a dog anymore. My dog used to eat just about anything but fruit & veggies. lol Maybe I can convince my dh it's time to adopt another one. . . :wink:

I have found that if I put my Water glass far away from me -- out of sight practically -- it helps me get through the meal without being tempted. Also, the smaller the bite, and the more you chew it up, the easier it is to not drink and eat. And, I always try to finish with something wet, such as fruit or yogurt. Makes a big difference! One woman in my support group said she brushes her teeth immediately after a meal. They also sell moisturizing mouthwash (which I use at night to avoid dry mouth) and that could be a good thing to help after a meal. Good luck! :wink:

Thanks so much! This sounds and looks wonderful! :smile: Thanks, also, truediva, for your recipe! My mouth is watering! :wink:

Thanks, Mindy! That makes a lot of sense! I absolutely don't want to jeopardize the band by eating too much. I just have to change my mindset. BTW, I looked at your before and after pics, and you look FABulous!!! You are a real inspiration! And I love your cute haircut! :bored:

AlaskaGirl, sounds like you have good restriction if you are full for that long on just 1/2 cup of food! Count your blessings! :bored:

Wow, Linda, what a dramatic difference in just 4 months! You look fabulous! :bored:

Karianne, you look fantastic! :thumbup: It's amazing the difference in just one month. I took before pictures, but I'm too embarrassed to post them. Perhaps when I take some "during" pictures that are a little more flattering. In the meantime, anyone else has some B&A pictures, we'd all love to see them. It's great inspiration! :bored: